It is known for host vehicles to be equipped with one or more automated, autonomous or semi-autonomous driving modes, such as adaptive cruise control (ACC), automated lane centering, automated lane keeping, or automated collision avoidance. These driving modes may utilize forward-looking sensors having a field of view extending a certain distance ahead of the host vehicle (i.e., preview distance) that can detect the presence of target vehicles and other objects, as well as features in the upcoming road segment. Autonomous and semi-autonomous driving modes typically utilize the sensor readings and other information provided by these forward-looking sensors, as well as other sensors and devices, to control a particular aspect of driving.
If a target vehicle located ahead of the host vehicle is in relatively close proximity, the target vehicle may occlude or otherwise obstruct one or more of the forward-looking sensors. This, in turn, can reduce the field of view or preview distance of the obstructed sensor and can limit the functionality of autonomous or semi-autonomous driving modes that rely upon the sensor for information.